Dr. Frank KardaszFilms can be useful ethics training tools. In “Making the Most of a Good Story: Effective Use of Film as a Teaching Resource for Ethics” (1983, p. 93) Ellen Ott Marshall of the Claremont School of Theology (1) quotes Conrad Ostwalt (2) who said:

Primarily, using a film increases student participation. Communal experiences of viewing a film breaks down barriers and builds trust between class members, making open dialogue and risk-taking more likely. Second, film as a tool empowers students. They are comfortable with this material, and they engage it confidently and critically. Third, students see film as part of their culture and thus feel a sense of ownership over the material. This makes students partners in the course. Oswalt observes, they feel a greater responsibility for the success of the class and their own learning.

References

(1) Marshall, Ellen O. (2003). Making the most of a good story: Effective use of film as a teaching resource for ethics. Teaching Theology and Religion. Vol. 6, no. 2. Blackwell publishing. p. 93.(2) Ostwalt, Conrad. (1998). Religion and Popular Movies. The Journal of Religion and Film 2, no.3.para. 3-5.